“Actually we’ve been doing that in Brazilian promotions since
2015,” Sampaio told Sherdog.com. “We did it in Shooto, Max Fight
and 1st Round Combat. The test runs were really positive. Now,
we’re in the final stage of setting up protocols and doing the same
for UFC events in Brazil. I talked with the UFC right after the
Curitiba event [on May 14], and our plan is to start using the new
guidelines for the upcoming UFC event in Brasilia.

“We were really impressed by the excellent results we got at the
Brazilian events,” he added. “The athletes are not gaining more
weight by having more time to rehydrate. They actually get
rehydrated in a correct manner -- slowly and homogenously -- so the
fighters are in much better condition to compete the day of the
fight; they’ve had more time to rest and feed themselves better.
That doesn’t even mention the visual side of it for the media and
fans. It’s definitely a great step for the sport.”

According to a Combate.com report, the next UFC event in Brazil is
slated for Sept. 24 in Brasilia. The UFC has not yet confirmed the
date.